See Greg M. Epstein speak about his new book, Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe. A Q&A and book-signing will follow the lecture.
In response to the "New Atheists" who see religion as a public enemy, Epstein presents Humanism as a more balanced and inclusive worldview. With a focus on the positive, he highlights humanity's potential for goodness and the ways in which Humanists lead lives of purpose and compassion. Humanism can offer the sense of community we want and often need in good times and bad, as we celebrate marriages and the birth of our children, and as we care for those who are elderly or sick. In short, Humanism teaches us that we can lead good and moral lives without supernaturalism, without higher powers, and without God.
Greg Epstein, called "the most outspoken voice for Humanism in the United States" by New York magazine, serves as the Humanist Chaplain of Harvard University. In 2005 Epstein received ordination as a Humanist Rabbi from the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism, where he studied in Jerusalem and Michigan for five years. He holds a BA (Religion and Chinese) and an MA (Judaic Studies) from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Masters of Theological Studies from the Harvard Divinity School. Epstein is a regular contributor for "On Faith," an online forum on religion produced by Newsweek magazine, the Washington Post, and Tikkun, and his work as a Humanist rabbi and Chaplain has been featured by National Public Radio, BBC Radio, Newsweek, US News and World Report, USA Today, the Boston Globe, the Jewish Daily Forward, and many more. He was also selected by the United Nations General Assembly to serve as a representative of Humanism at a "High-level Dialogue of the General Assembly on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace."
Co-sponsored by the Silicon Valley Coalition of Reason and ASSU Speakers Bureau, and supported by the ASSU Undergraduate Senate and Graduate Student Council.